Taliban officials in Afghanistan have informed the United Nations (UN) they are banning women from working for the organization in Afghanistan, the world organization said Tuesday about the group’s latest edict restricting the rights and movements of women in that country. The UN said Wednesday that it "condemns in the strongest terms" the Taliban's decision, calling the ban unlawful and unacceptable.
"It constitutes an unparalleled violation of women's rights, a flagrant breach of humanitarian principles, and a breach of international rules on the privileges and immunities of the United Nations," lamented the statement issued by the UN office in Kabul.
"The UN has therefore instructed all national staff — men and women — not to report to the office until further notice," it said, adding that several UN national staff members had already experienced restrictions on their movements, including harassment, intimidation and detention.
The statement by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) warned the Taliban order would further impact the international community's engagement with Afghanistan and the UN’s ability, including that of its humanitarian partners, to reach the most vulnerable — especially women and girls — as they experience an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
In a statement issued by his spokesman Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also strongly condemned the Taliban’s decision to ban Afghan women from working with the world body in Afghanistan.
“This is a violation of the inalienable fundamental human rights of women. It also violates Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights law, and infringes on the principle of non-discrimination, which is a core tenet underpinning the United Nations Charter,“ the statement said.
Through his spokesman, Guterres emphasized that female staff members are essential to the UN operations, including in the delivery of life-saving assistance, and that the enforcement of this decision will harm the Afghan people, millions of whom need assistance. The Secretary-General called on the Taliban to immediately revoke the decision and reverse all measures that restrict women’s and girls’ rights to work, education and freedom of movement.
The UN estimates more than 28 million people, or two-thirds of the population, are in need of humanitarian aid. Of those, 20 million people are food insecure, including more than 6 million people on the brink of famine-like conditions. The UN has nearly 4,000 staff members in the country, of which about 3,300 are Afghan nationals. Among them are about 400 Afghan women and 200 international female staffers.
The Taliban have not publicly commented on the ban, but UN officials were notified Tuesday that previously existing restrictions on female relief workers were being extended. The UN had expressed concern in recent months that this particular ban would come.
In January, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed went to the Afghan cities of Kabul, Kandahar and Herat with a high-level delegation to speak with Taliban officials about a series of decrees that have eroded the rights of women and girls, particularly on going to school and university and working outside the home.
The hardline rulers have imposed sweeping restrictions on Afghan women since taking control of the impoverished South Asian nation in August 2021. Women have been banned from accessing higher education and many government jobs and public spaces. Girls are also not allowed to attend secondary schools beyond sixth grade.
On December 24, 2022, the de facto authorities banned Afghan women from working with domestic and international aid groups. Some international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) suspended their work after the decree. The UN feared at the time that international organizations would be next, which now appears to be the case.
"In the history of the United Nations, no other regime has ever tried to ban women from working for the organization just because they are women. This decision represents an assault against women, the fundamental principles of the U.N., and on international law," said Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan.
The statement by the UN mission noted that Otunbayeva was engaging with the de facto Afghan authorities to convey the UN’s protest and to seek an immediate reversal of the order. The de facto authorities have so far ignored calls to ease the curbs and dismissed criticism of their governance, saying it is in line with Afghan culture and Islamic law or Shariah. The international community has not recognized the Taliban as legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, primarily over their treatment of women.
In an apparent bid to reinforce their defiance, the Taliban last week reissued a recent audio speech of their reclusive radical chief, Hibatullah Akhundzada, with English subtitles.
"Today, the world does not want Afghanistan and its government to rule by its own will. Neither will I let them establish their law, nor will they allow me to apply my law," Akhundzada told a gathering of Afghan religious scholars.
"Neither a compromise is possible, nor a compromise has been made. …Therefore, your responsibility is not just to successfully establish Shariah in Afghanistan; rather, it is incumbent upon the scholars of Afghanistan to lead the whole world on Shariah," he said.
Some information for this report provided by VOA.
Further information
Full text: UN protests order from Taliban de facto authorities prohibiting Afghan women from working with the United Nations in Afghansitan, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), press release, April 5, 2023
https://unama.unmissions.org/un-protests-order-taliban-de-facto-authorities-prohibiting-afghan-women-working-united-nations
Full text: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General - on the Taliban’s decision to ban Afghan women from working with the United Nations, April 5, 2023
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2023-04-05/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-the-taliban%E2%80%99s-decision-ban-afghan-women-working-the-united-nations